California Injury Blog
Two women were injured in a Garden Grove car accident the night of July 27, 2009 when they were struck by a suspected drunk driver, The Orange County Register reports. The male driver was reportedly traveling west on Westminster Avenue when he struck the two victims, who were crossing the street. One of the women suffered severe injuries including several broken bones. The other woman apparently suffered relatively minor injuries. The driver remained at the scene and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
I’m relieved that this woman did not suffer catastrophic or life threatening injuries in this car accident. I wish the injured victim the very best for a quick and complete recovery.
Pedestrian Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), there were no fatalities, but 49 injuries involving pedestrian crashes in the city of Garden Grove. In Orange County as a whole, 41 fatalities and 726 injuries were reported as a result of pedestrian accidents in 2007.
Based on this news report, it appears that the Garden Grove pedestrian accident occurred because the driver could not stop his car in time and hit the pedestrians because he was under the influence of alcohol. It’s not clear whether these women were crossing the street in a crosswalk or intersection. California Vehicle Code section 21950 states: “The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk or within any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection.” The same section also states that the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian within any marked or unmarked crosswalk “shall exercise all due care and shall reduce the speed of a vehicle or take any other action relating to the operating of the vehicle as necessary to safeguard the safety of the pedestrian.”
California Drunk Driving Laws
Of course, in this case, the driver of the car also broke the law by driving under the influence. California Vehicle Code Section 23152 (a) states: “It is unlawful for any person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.” The same code section also states that it is illegal for any person with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more to drive a vehicle.
Victims of these types of injury cases would be well-advised to retain the services of an experienced California car accident lawyer who will make sure the negligent parties are held accountable and that the victims and/or their families get fair compensation for the injuries, damages and loss. A skilled Orange County personal injury lawyer will also look into whether a dangerous roadway or intersection caused or contributed to the victim’s serious personal injury. If that was the case, the city or governmental entity in charge of maintaining that roadway could also be held liable. In California, any such claim against a governmental agency must be properly filed within 180 days of the accident or injury.